Hand-truck.



No. 647,629. Patented Apr. I7, i900. H. G. KNUWLES.

HAND TRUCK.

(Application 'filed Aug. 26, 1899,) (N M o d el A 7TOHNEYS THE NonmsPneus co.. PHoTaLITHo.. WASHINGTON, n c.

Nrn STATES FFICE HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,629, dated April17, 1900. Application filed August 26, 1899. Serial` No. 728,570. (Nomodel.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE G. KNowLns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vilmington, in the county of New Castle and State ofDelaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHand-Trucks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in trucks; and it consists inthe construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, anddefined in the claim.

IIeretofore many attempts have been made to produce a strong, durable,and inexpensive truck for lifting and transporting barrels, boxes, dre.The constructions heretofore suggested have been usually of complicatednature, cumbersome, and expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide a hand-truck which will meetthe requirements as to strength, cheapness, and durability and one whichwill possess the fewest possible number of parts.

The invention more particularly comprehends a structure which, ifdesired, can be cast in one piece, the only additional parts consistingof the wheels and in some cases their carryingaxle.

While I have stated that the invention relates to trucks, the nature andarrangement of the parts are such that it is also designed and welladapted for use as a carrier and lifter.

I have shown an operative embodiment of the invention in theaccompanying drawings, but desire it understood that the particularshape and specific formation therein shown can be varied slightlywithout departing from the nature and principle of the invention.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevationshowing the improvement in a position for carrying a barrel, being shownin dotted lines 3 and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the lower end of thetruck, showing a slightly-modified form of hook.

In the drawings, A designates the truckbar, formed conveniently of asingle piece of material, such as metal. This bar has at its upper end ahandle u., while beyond the handle is a continuation c', serving as ahandhold when it is necessary to have an increased leverage. The bar Ais conveniently of T- shaped cross-section and its upper portion iscurved rearwardly, so that the handle can be used withoutv bringing thehand of the operator in contact with the object being trucked orcarried.

The extreme lower end of the bar A is bifurcated, as at B, the outerportions of the bifurcated part being straight and the two arms thereofconstituting what I choose to term stub-arms l) b', as distinguishedfrom side bars. These arms are parallel with each other and have formedon their under edges ears C,each having a perforation therethrough inwhich an axle D is secured, which in addition to its function as an axlealso acts as a brace for the arms. On the outer ends of the axles arethe truck-wheels E, being located slightly backward from the outer endsof the arms. These wheels are secured on the axle in any convenientmanner, such as by the keys c passing through the protruding ends of theaxle. The wheels are of any convenient width and may be cast orotherwise formed. Their diameter is such as to carry the upper portionsof the perpheries slightly below the upper faces of the arms.

The outer ends of the stub-arms beyond a plane of the wheels are bent orcarried upward, forming hooks F, as shown in Fig. 2, or they may be ofthe straight formation, as shown in Fig.

Integral. with the bar A, substantially mid- Way its length, is alaterally-extended support G, the same extending in opposite directionsfrom the bar to points considerably beyond the plane of the wheels. Itis conveniently formed of a single piece of metal integral with the bar.This rest may be curved, straight, or angular, as desired.

The above-described construction, it will be noted, consists,practically, of a single-piece frame co mposed, substantially,of asingle bar. Additional supports may be added to the bar and the positionof the wheels may be changed, if found desirable.

When the truck is used as a carrier, the hooks are placed below the edgeof the box or chime of the barrel, the latter being tipped back onto thebar and its rest, the hooks pre-- IOO venting the barrel or box fromescaping from the truck. It may also be convenient to use two trucks,one on each side of the object being carried, when the object is heavyand is to be transported some little distance.

This truck is especially useful for store and domestic purposes, itslightness, durability, and cheapness making it especially desirable, andowing to its formation it is very easily handled, while being welladapted for carrying or transporting very heavy objects.

I am aware that a truck having a U -shaped frame has been heretoforesuggested; but in -that construction the side bars of the U" n of thestructure being such as to make it obj ectionable for general use andweak in parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters

